SACRAMENTO - Governor Jerry Brown called for a $437 million investment for state flood control and emergency response actions Friday.
On the heels of heavy rainfall walloping the state over the past month, the governor requested $387 million in Proposition 1 funds from the Legislature, coupled with $50 million redirected from the California's General Fund, to address near-term flood control and emergency response actions.
This month, an erosion at Oroville Spillway prompted the mandatory evacuation of nearby residents as reservoir levels spilled over the emergency spillway and threatened to flood the region immediately below.
Residents were allowed to return to their homes last week.
Related: Oroville Dam: Fears remain after evacuation lifted for nearly 200,000 residents
“Recent storms have pounded the state of California resulting in a dam spillway eroding, roads crumbling and levees failing,” said Gov. Brown. “Our aging infrastructure is maxed-out. We can take some immediate actions – and we will – but going forward we’ll need billions more in investment.”
With the call of flood control investment, Gov. Brown's four-point plan required emergency action plans and flood inundation maps for all state dams, an enhancement of California’s existing dam inspection program, and a call for regulatory action and increased funding from the federal government to improve dam safety.
The Governor's Office also said the state sustained about $595 million in damages to roads and bridges by erosion, mud and rock slides, sink holes and flooding from the recent weather.
State leaders and are currently working to complete a transportation funding package before April 6.
Gov. Brown sent a letter to President Trump today seeking an expedited environmental review of nine high-priority transportation projects and reconstruction of the Oroville Dam spillways.
